12.16.13

Waxing eloquent on the matter of embattled Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan benching Robert Griffin III in favor of Kirk Cousins against Atlanta yesterday, CBS analyst Shannon Sharpe opined, “RG3 has played awful. And it comes to a point in time that you owe it to the 52 guys in that locker room to put the best 11 guys on the football field. Right now that’s not RG3. Race or racism had nothing to do with this.” It’s a curious take given that until now, no one (well, other than this guy) has suggested Shanahan had a non-football motive for the benching, ‘cept for saving Griffin from potential injury. “Only Sharpe knows who he was talking about,” muses the New York Daily News’ Bob Raissman.

Sharpe spoke with so much emotion that he must have had someone in mind, someone who claims Shanhan’s move is racially motivated. Sharpe should have identified the person(s). Now we are left to guess. That’s not good. Who is he he talking about? Last week, on the NFL Network, Michael Irvin ripped Shanahan for his handling of Donovan McNabb and Albert Haynesworth.

And Sunday, when Kurt Warner asked why RG3’s teammates “are not making a big deal about this,” telling Shanahan “we want our leader to go to battle with us,” Irvin again alluded to McNabb and Haynesworth. He said Shanahan is too busy making sure everyone knows he’s in control.

“That’s why nobody can step up and say anything,” Irvin said. “He’ll cut their head off like he’s cut off those other guys’ (McNabb/Haynesworth) head.”